'Discipline, Not Hype': 3 Experts Share Long-Term Cryptocurrency Investment Strategies

We spoke with three experts—a fund founder, a venture capital partner, and an algorithmic trading strategist—each offering a different path. Although there are different approaches, they all agree that the long-term success of cryptocurrency requires discipline, logic, and critical thinking. This conversation took place at the UN:BLOCK conference in Riga, held on April 23–24, where industry leaders shared their views on the future of cryptocurrency and blockchain-based finance. Ethan Pierse: 'I Care More About Value' For Ethan Pierse, Partner at Borderless Ventures, patience and discipline form the foundation for sound cryptocurrency investment strategies: As a value investor rather than a day trader, I am more interested in the value of cryptocurrency assets ( like stocks ) over time. Dollar-cost averaging... creates a more stable, reliable path to achieve high returns. Pierse admits that riskier strategies such as airdrop farming or meme coins can yield profits, but only for those willing to invest a lot of time and effort. When evaluating projects, he looks for user growth, active development, and meaningful long-term tokenomics: A major warning sign is if the unlocking of tokens benefits insiders asymmetrically or if actual usage is low but speculative interest is high. Looking ahead, Pierse expects that regulatory tools and data-driven approaches will prevail: We will see more structured products, tokenized ETFs, and algorithmic trading portfolio models, bringing cryptocurrencies closer to traditional finance without losing their advantages. Gunars Udris: 'Bitcoin Continues to be the Foundation' of Cryptocurrency Investment Strategies Gunars Udris, Partner at FinForta, emphasized that long-term success in cryptocurrency and effective cryptocurrency investment strategies start from solid fundamentals. Speaking after FinForta won the UN:BLOCK competition, Udris highlighted that projects with clear utility, robust technology, and a reliable team are more likely to withstand market cycles. Projects with clear use cases, strong technology, and experienced teams are more likely to thrive. For example, Ethereum's smart contracts address real-world issues, while projects with anonymous teams or vague whitepapers often indicate higher risks. Udris sees value beyond the traditional approach of "buy and hold" and proposes more sophisticated strategies: Diversifying across multiple sectors such as DeFi, AI, and GameFi,Monitoring emerging trends such as tokenized real-world assets and smart contract platforms,Using soft staking to earn profits without sacrificing liquidity. Experts emphasize the growing appeal of flexible earning mechanisms: "Soft staking provides flexibility to respond to market changes while still earning rewards, making it attractive to active investors seeking both liquidity and profit." He also warned that many investors underestimate significant risks such as volatility, regulatory changes, security breaches, and liquidity traps: In just the year 2024, over $2.36 billion has been lost due to hackers, and a single incident could wipe out your assets with little chance of recovery.

Niv Bombash: 'Big Wins Don't Make You Wealthy' According to Niv Bombash, the founder of SAGE, risk management is the most overlooked pillar in cryptocurrency investment. He emphasizes caution, control, and logic above all else: It is not the big wins that will make you rich. Rather, it is the big losses that will force you to leave the game. Bombash prefers algorithmic trading strategies over simple buy-and-hold strategies, but emphasizes that they require ongoing consideration and adjustment: There are algorithmic trading strategies that work better than traditional buy and hold strategies. However, one must monitor and update them periodically. He also pointed out that the unpredictable nature of the cryptocurrency market, especially its 24/7 operations, makes managing volatility more difficult compared to traditional finance: The volatility of the market and their continuously changing behavior. You cannot predict what will happen or when. Looking ahead, Bombash predicts that the market will become more accessible through ETFs and ETPs and believes that regulation will help stabilize this space and make it more investor-friendly: I believe there will be more ETFs and ETPs, making it easier and more cost-effective for investors to participate in the cryptocurrency market. Although their strategies may differ, all three experts agree: trading based on emotions and blind optimism rarely leads to success in cryptocurrency. In a market known for its noise and hype, discipline, structure, and continuous reassessment make all the difference. As the ecosystem matures, long-term investors must evolve alongside it, without losing sight of the fundamentals.